Staffer Profile: Stuart Waldman
From time to time, we're going to profile some of the folks who work for the folks who work for you, the staff members of our elected officials.Today we profile a person who is not a stranger around the Sister City, Stuart Waldman Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Lloyd Levine of the California 40th Assembly District.
Stuart is a long time fixture around Valley politics and has been regarded as a guy who can get things done. He has been well received by many community organizations across the Valley and has been honored by a number of them.
Stuart was born on the East Coast, but primarily grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He was a high school dropout at age 16, but later returned to school and was able to make up lost work quick enough to graduate with his original senior class. He then served in the First Infantry Division of the US Army and returned home to the Valley to begin his college education, eventually earning a law degree.
Active in local Democratic politics, Stuart helped to elect a young man named Bob Hertzberg to the State Assembly and upon Hertzberg's victory, became his field representative eventually becoming Chief of Staff in the waning days of Hertzberg's Assembly Speakership.
With Hertzberg termed out of office, Stuart thought it only natural to follow his boss in the Assembly but was stunned when Hertzberg endorsed Clinton White House wunderkind, Andrei Cherny for the Democratic nomination. With rumors of soon to be termed out City Councilman Mike Feuer possibly joining the race (he never did), and Levine - scion of a prominent Southern California political family - having already jumped in, Waldman decided the prudent thing was to drop out of the race and back Levine. (You can see Stuart's old campaign website which still exists by clicking here.) Rumor has it that when Levine terms out in 2008, Stuart will once again seek the seat.
Waldman no doubt has his detractors - who find him prone to shameless self promotion, double dealing and backstabbing - as well as his supporters who feel he is a dedicated public servant that speaks candidly and isn't likely to make promises he won't keep.
As well Waldman has tangled with the operators of this blog in the past, he has been a strong supporter of the mission of the Sister City and feels that blogs such as ours can only serve the public interest by bringing transparency to local government.
For a parting shot, one of our readers asked that we post a photo of Waldman from his Army days. He looks pretty young here doesn't he?
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 8/13/2005 03:54:00 PM
43 Comments:
My mom always said if you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything.
Hear my silence.
Andrei, that's funny!
I'm not Andrei.
Guess what Stuart, most people don't even know who Andrei is. Nor do they know who you are. Unless they are really involved. The average person can't even name their city councilman, much LESS their assemblyman which puts the assemblyman's chief of staff pretty low on the recognizability pole.
Stuart, did you nominate yourself?
Sounds like you are someone who is jealous of Stuart. Go play on the freeway!
Don't get me wrong - Stuart has pissed me off, but he didn't nominate himself, no one did. I decide what goes on around here, moron.
How does a profile on Stuart equate him thinking that people know who he is?
if stuart hit the vu, he would never get a half hour with a jedi. he would prolly hang with some latina and get KMSO in like two songs.
2002 was when to run, or never.
Hertzberg's endorsements and the way the duds here put the stylus in the groove for that fatty make me sick.
waldman did not listen to me about hitting it then, and he aint gonna hit it now.
anyone who talked to cherny knew the guy was a dead fish. levine got it cause cherny was that bad.
waldman has a self esteem problem. i recommend he spend time in strip clubs.
To Anon 6:07
I believe the poster was probably commenting on the "known around town
as ___" part of the post from Mayor Sam.
I guess he doesn't think Stuart is known around town?
Andrei Cherny should be on your HOT list. He is hot, hot, hot.
Waldman is great and I am proud to have leadership like him who is active in our community. I dislike wimps such as Villaraigosa who are chicken shit scared to have joined the military. I hate wimps. Waldman is no wimp and keeps his promises.
Waldman, so you like hugs. I'll give you a big hug next time I see you.
Where was the Rambo photo taken? Why is there a magazine in the M16? Where did he serve?
The nice thing about Huggy is that he is consistant; you can always count on him to screw his friends and supporters.
But then, Waldman should have known that, right?
Well, he does now, I guess.
Rambo? How about scared 18 year old kid? It was taken in West Germany almost 20 years ago. Remember the Cold War? I was a Scout for an Armored Battalion in the First Infantry Division (the Big Red One).
U really tell people you fought in the Cold War?
Who "fought" in the Cold War? I served during the Cold War. The reference was for those who forgot there was a West Germany and a question of why the M-16 had a magazine in it.
yeah, do you really tell people you fought in the cold war?
I didn't see any combat action awards awarded on his campaign site to him. I have a friend of mine who was awarded the army achievment medal for passing out mail.
seriously.
Sorry Rambo, it was referred to as "the peacetime Army" in 1986. You are to be commended for enlisting. God knows very few people in public life in LA have ever served. But posting that picture to advance your political ambitions while young American men and women are dying in combat is at best misleading and at worse disrespectful of their sacrifice. It's fine on your mantle, though.
Waldman is like kos i guess, likes showing that he was in the army. whatever, he should have run in 2002. and he is prolly mayor sam. although mayor sam is definitely a no-op sexual type, he still has the post saying janice hahn hates handicapped, which is libel with intent. I would worry about publication issues if i was blogger.
In any event, you have to love how david duke now agrees with michael moore on iraq/israel/and stuff. just goes to show that there is only one party who does not allow their racists in. and it aint the demos.
Why you such a kissass Chief Parker? I expect more from you bucko.
Stuart has staying power and deserves a shot at serving in the Assembly. I'm still impressed that he was able to get a law degree while working for Hertzberg. The man is a stud.
Who was that skinny guy in the photo??? You need to get on the treadmill Slick Stu.
If Andrei were so hot, why have none of us seen or heard from that chowhound since he ran against Lloyd? I'm waltzing with Waldman in '08.
Waldman, where did you serve?
Conservatives are watching this blog. Mayor Sam put a topic that reflects conservatives vs democrats.
Okay, if Chief Parker is going to believe and forgive Janice Hahn and give Stu a fresh start, then I'm going to follow his example.
Stuart, I take back those things I thought about you and I'm giving you a second chance.
I believe Janice Hahn made an error judgment and I'll not judge her.
Thanks Chief for being my weekend inspiration.
Who is Stuart?
Stuart is the man ... who looks out for his brother ... Waldman ... Can you dig it? Damn, right ...
Was he really in the army or is that just a halloween costume.
I don't know what Andrei has been doing since he was fired from the Kerry campaign. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not "hot." He's likely off somewhere continuing to live a personality free existence.
I'm not a Cherny fan or anything but I find the description of what happened during the campaign sort of amusing. Why was Waldman shocked when Hertzberg endorsed Cherny? Cherny also worked for Huggy and is frankly much smarter than Waldman.
Stuart will work for AD 40 and no one should doubt that...
Will anyone really run aganist Stuart?
Can somebody please run for CD40? We need competition in that race. We need options no matter who end up voting for.
running against stuart will be Andrei Cherny
Cherny couldn't beat Levine, he won't beat Stuart. The guy is a joke!
Stuart is primarily a fixture wherever food is free.
why do you care about an orange county congressional seat held by royce?
Cherny is AWOL. AD40 needs a visible competitor for that seat, Democrat or Republican, even though it will remain in Democrat hands unless redistricting changes that next year.
Andrei was fired from the Kerry Campaign? Please explain. Doesnt he live in Van Nuys?
I was always a huge fan of Stuart.
But at a recent Dem Club meeting, he walked right by me to go greet the elected pols. Only after he kissed each of their asses, did he come to me to chat.
At the point I decided I could never support him. It is not that I need to be kissed before you "f" me. It is the fact that he had told me that he was disgusted with two of the elects and got sick when they were around, yet he went out of his way to hug them...
But
Actually, there's a good guy running against Stuart. His name is Dan McCrory and he lives in Reseda. He's a regular working guy with real calluses on his hands. He has worked at the phone company for 30+ years and has been the president of our union. Check him out: www.mccroryforassembly.com
I think Assembly District 40 will be wide open in '08 - rumor has it that a popular teacher from the West Valley, and one of Mayor Riordan's "Most Inspirational Teacher" recipients is going to jump into the race as the insurgent candidate.
Your ad on the radio says that ou are a "decorated veteran." What decoration did you receive for peacetimeservice in Germany? Howie
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